FOI request (FOIR-702209230)

Second Homes

Requested Wed 02 April 2025
Responded Mon 28 April 2025

This is an information request relating to council tax on second homes.

Please include the following information:

Second Home Premium 

• Does the council currently charge a premium on second homes? 
• If so, what is the rate of the premium (expressed as a percentage or multiplier of the standard council tax rate)? 

Impact Assessment 

• Has the council undertaken any impact assessment(s) on the effect of the second home premium on the local economy? 
• If so, please provide a copy of the assessment(s). 

Definition of a Second Home 

• How does the council define a second home for council tax purposes? 

Disputes

• Have any households challenged the classification of their property as a second home? 
• If yes, how many such disputes have there been, and how many resulted in a change of status?

Response

1) 100%

2) We have a Policy for Long Term Empty & Second Homes, which I have attached.  No information held in respect of an impact assessment. 

3) Empty Furnished & Furnished Second Homes

4) Information not held however, we provide how many we had at annual billing and how many we have as at today's date: Started with 734 now have 662 from the original amount. 

Attachments

• FOIR-702209230_FOIR-702209230_1-Hastings_Council_Tax_Empty_Homes_&_Second_Homes_Premiums_Policy_2025.pdf